Before sleeping

يَجْمَعُ كَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ يَنْفُثُ فِيهِمَا فَيَقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ* لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ* وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ}. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ {قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ* مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ* وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ* وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ* وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ}. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ {قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ* مَلِكِ النَّاسِ* إِلَهِ النَّاسِ* مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ* الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ* مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ} ثُمَّ يَمْسَحُ بِهِمَا مَا اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ يَبْدَأُ بِهِمَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ وَمَا أَقبَلَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ (يفعلُ ذلك ثلاثَ مرَّاتٍ)

Hold the palms together, blow (with a little spittle) into them, and recite: "With the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: He is Allah (the) One. The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He begets not nor was He begotten, and there is none equal to Him. With the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness, and from the evil of those who practice witchcraft when they blow in the knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envies. With the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, who whispers in the breasts of mankind, of jinns and men." (Then pass your hands over as much of your body as you can reach, beginning with the head and the face, then the entire front of your body. Do this three times.)

Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 9/62, and Muslim 4/ 1723.

((اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ))

Allah! There is none worthy of worship but He, the Ever-Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Al-Baqarah 2:255. Whoever reads this when he lies down to sleep will have a guardian from Allah remain with him and Satan will not be able to come near him until he rises in the morning. See Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 4/487.

((ءامَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءامَنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ {285} لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ {286}))

The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say: "We make no distinction between any of His Messengers," and they say: "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return." Allah burdens not a person beyond what he can bear. He gets rewarded for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us. Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have the strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector, and help us against the disbelieving people.

Al-Baqarah 2:285-6. These two Verses will be sufficient for anyone who recites them at night before sleeping. Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari.9/94, Muslim 1/554.

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، فَإِن أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

With Your Name1 my Lord, I lay myself down; and with Your Name I rise. And if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You send it back then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves.2

1 "If any of you rises from his bed and later returns to it, let him dust off his bed with his waist garment three times and mention the Name of Allah, for he does not know what may have entered the bed after him, and when he lies down he should say. . . ". 2 Al-Bukhari 1 1/ 126 and Muslim 4/2084.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْياهَا، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا. اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ العَافِيَةَ

O Allah, You have created my soul and You take it back. Unto You is its death and its life. If You give it life then protect it, and if You cause it to die then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for strength.

Muslim 4/2083 and Ahmad 2/79.

اللّهُـمَّ قِنـي عَذابَـكَ يَـوْمَ تَبْـعَثُ عِبـادَك .

O Allah,1 save me from Your punishment on the Day that You resurrect Your slaves.2

1 "When the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to lie down to sleep, he used to place his right hand under his cheek and say..." 2 Abu Dawud 4/311. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmidhi 3/143.

بِاسْـمِكَ اللّهُـمَّ أَمـوتُ وَأَحْـيا

In Your Name, O Allah, I die and I live.

Here, dying and living are metaphors for sleep and wakefulness. This explains why the normal order of these words has been reversed in this Hadith. In other contexts the living is mentioned before dying. See Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:258, Aal-'Imrdn 3:156, Al-A'raf 7:158 among many other examples, (trans.). See also Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 11/113, Muslim 4/ 2083.

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (ثلاثاً وثلاثين) وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (ثلاثاً وثلاثين) وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (أربعاً وثلاثينَ)

Glory is to Allah (thirty-three times in Arabic), Praise is to Allah (thirty-three times), Allah is the Most Great (thirty-four times)

Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 7/71, Muslim 4/2091.

اللّهُـمَّ رَبَّ السّمـواتِ السَّبْـعِ وَرَبَّ العَـرْشِ العَظـيم رَبَّنـا وَرَبَّ كُـلِّ شَـيء فالِـقَ الحَـبِّ وَالنَّـوى وَمُـنَزِّلَ التَّـوْراةِ وَالإنْجـيل والفُـرْقان أَعـوذُ بِـكَ مِن شَـرِّ كُـلِّ شَـيءٍ أَنْـتَ آخِـذٌ بِنـاصِـيَتِه اللّهُـمَّ أَنْـتَ الأوَّلُ فَلَـيسَ قَبْـلَكَ شَيء وَأَنْـتَ الآخِـرُ فَلَـيسَ بَعْـدَكَ شَيء وَأَنْـتَ الظّـاهِـرُ فَلَـيْسَ فَـوْقَـكَ شَيء وَأَنْـتَ الْبـاطِـنُ فَلَـيْسَ دونَـكَ شَيء اقـْضِ عَنّـا الـدَّيْـنَ وَأَغْـنِنـا مِنَ الفَـقْر

O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything. Splitter of the grain and the date-stone, Revealer of the Torah and the Injeel1 and the Furqan (the Qur'an), I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You shall seize by the forelock.2 O Allah You are the First and nothing has come before you, and You are the Last, and nothing may come after You. You are the Most High, nothing is above You and You are the Most Near, and nothing is nearer than You. Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty. 3

1 The Scripture that was revealed to 'Isa (Jesus). 2 See Qur'an Al-'Alaq 96:15, where seizure by the forelock preceeds being cast into Hell. (Translator) 3 Muslim 4/2084.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا، وَكَفَانَا، وَآوَانَا، فَكَمْ مِمَّنْ لاَ كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلاَ مُؤْوِيَ

Praise is to Allah Who has provided us with food and with drink, sufficed us and gave us an abode, for how many are there with no provision and no home.

Muslim 4/2085.

اللّهُـمَّ عالِـمَ الغَـيْبِ وَالشّـهادَةِ فاطِـرَ السّماواتِ وَالأرْضِ رَبَّ كـلِّ شَـيءٍ وَمَليـكَه أَشْهَـدُ أَنْ لا إِلـهَ إِلاّ أَنْت أَعـوذُ بِكَ مِن شَـرِّ نَفْسـي وَمِن شَـرِّ الشَّيْـطانِ وَشِـرْكِه وَأَنْ أَقْتَـرِفَ عَلـى نَفْسـي سوءاً أَوْ أَجُـرَّهُ إِلـى مُسْـلِم

O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident, Maker of the heavens and the earth, Lord of everything and its Master, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul, and from the evil of Satan and his helpers. (I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming any Muslim.

Abu Dawud 4/317. See also Al-Albani, SahihAt-Tirmidhi 3/142.

يقرأ ((ألم * تنزيل)) السجدة، و((تبارك الذي بيده الملك))

Recite Surah 32 (As-Sajdah) and Surah 67 (Al-Mulk) in Arabic.

At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i. See also Al-Albani, Sahihul-Jami ' As-Saghir 4/255

اللّهُـمَّ أَسْـلَمْتُ نَفْـسي إِلَـيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْـتُ أَمْـري إِلَـيْكَ، وَوَجَّـهْتُ وَجْـهي إِلَـيْكَ، وَأَلْـجَـاْتُ ظَهـري إِلَـيْكَ، رَغْبَـةً وَرَهْـبَةً إِلَـيْكَ، لا مَلْجَـأَ وَلا مَنْـجـا مِنْـكَ إِلاّ إِلَـيْكَ، آمَنْـتُ بِكِتـابِكَ الّـذي أَنْزَلْـتَ وَبِنَبِـيِّـكَ الّـذي أَرْسَلْـت

O Allah,1 I submit myself to You, entrust my affairs to You, turn my face to You, and lay myself down depending upon You, hoping in You and fearing You. There is no refuge, and no escape, except to You. I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) that You revealed, and the Prophet (ﷺ) whom You sent.

1 "Before you go to bed perform ablutions as you would for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say. . . " The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever says this and dies in his sleep, has died in a state of the natural monotheism (Fitrah)." Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 11/113, Muslim 4/2081.